Truth behind Maneka Gandhi video-sweeping generalisations cannot be made about milk

Is drinking milk depleting you of calcium instead of building its reserves? A recent video of BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, where she can be heard saying that people who drink the most milk have the least amount of calcium, is doing the rounds on social media. She argues that it leads to lactic acid build-up which the body tries to neutralise by drawing on calcium and other buffering agents from the bones, weakening them.

However, such sweeping generalisations cannot be made about milk, which anyway has very low levels of lactic acid, according to Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, Chief Nutritionist, Apollo Hospitals. “This can happen rarely among those who are lactose-intolerant and have very low levels of lactase, the enzyme that digests milk. This happens when there are underlying health conditions that impair the body’s ability to regulate acid-base balance,” she adds. Except for people with certain digestive conditions and sensitivities, Rohatgi says milk is a good protein source of a balanced diet and can be consumed as butter, paneer, cheese and curd.

What is lactic acid? Does milk contain lactic acid?

Lactic acid is a chemical your body produces when your cells break down carbohydrates for energy. Fresh milk contains no lactic acid. In other kinds, the amount present is not over about 0.002 per cent. Lactic acid is naturally present in the body in small amounts and is not harmful. There can be potential health issues in individuals with lactose intolerance, who consume large amounts of lactose-containing dairy products. This group may be at the risk of developing lactic acidosis, a type of metabolic acidosis that occurs when lactic acids build up in your blood.